Overview

• A fire broke out on the Morning Midas on June 3, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel about 579 km from land
• Fire damage compounded by heavy weather caused the ship to take on water and sink on June 23 into roughly 5,000 m-deep water
• The carrier was transporting about 3,000 vehicles, including approximately 800 electric cars from Chery Automobile and Great Wall Motor bound for Mexico
• Two tugs equipped with pollution-control gear remain on site and a specialized response ship is en route under coordination with the US Coast Guard and Resolve Marine
• The sinking has intensified scrutiny of lithium-ion battery risks in maritime transport and spurred calls for stronger EV battery safety measures